Ciao!

When traveling to Italy this summer, I realized I wanted a travel guide that would tell me exactly where to eat and how to experience Italy like a local. TripAdvisor and other blogs were either overwhelming or hard to trust. So I set out to create my own.

After crowdsourcing tips from many friends (some who either studied abroad or went there on their honeymoon) and doing my own online research, my boyfriend and I found some real gems during our trip. I hope this guide helps as you plan your own Italian getaway.

Day 1: Travel day + packing tips

I’ve always been somewhat of an overpacker, but after too many stuffed suitcases, I’ve learned how to pack just the essentials. The key is to bring basic bottoms that can mix and match with casual and fancier shirts. Oh, and you can’t go wrong with flowy dresses in the summer. Here are two dresses I bought for the trip from Free People (Dottie Mini Dress + Getaway Midi Dress in Tangerine).

TUSCANY

Day 2: Getting settled in our Agriturismo

If you’re going to Tuscany (which I highly recommend!), renting a car is the way to go. We rented a small sedan for the entire trip, even though we only really needed it in Tuscany. The highway tolls, hotel parking, and gas added up quickly.

We arrived in Rome and went straight to our Agriturismo San Giorgio which was just about 20 minutes outside of Siena. This little farmhouse came with a pool, a charming breakfast, kitties, and seriously, the most amazing view. I would highly recommend this spot if you're looking for something reasonable and central.

Swimming laps in our Agriturismo's pool.

Day 3: Exploring Pienza

After enjoying the homemade breakfast prepared by our AirBnb hosts, we changed into our swimsuits and spent the morning swimming and reading by the pool. We could have spent all day there but when in Tuscany, there’s wine drinking to be had.

Our hosts recommended Fanti Winery. They gave us a private tour of the winery and we were able to try four different wines and two olive oils. Because I ended up buying their Brunelo Reserve and olive oil, they waived our tasting fee (which would have been $25 euro with the wine tour included).

Wandering the streets of Pienza. Wearing a white denim skirt from Everlane.

After wine tasting, we made our way to Pienza which is quaint little town in the province of Siena. We ended the night eating some delicious pizza at Pumamaro. Originally we wanted to go to Trattoria Latte di Luna to sample their pici pasta but sadly, they were completely booked. So go early and make a reservation.

Wines of the region: Brunelo di Montalcino

Piazza del Campo in Siena

Day 4: Day trip to Siena

Our AirBnb was conveniently located just 20 minutes from Siena. After a short ride into town, we stopped for a small bite at Trombicche. This small restaurant and wine bar, run by two brothers, has a very local vibe. Everyone in there was speaking Italian and drinking wine. Then we meandered around the city square, ate gelato, and watched the World Cup in the main plaza drinking some Aperol Sprtiz.

Daily afternoon Aperol Spritz

Day 5: Wine tasting our way to Firenze

After making the most of our AirBnb, we got in one final swim and started making moves to Florence. On the way, we stopped at two very different but equally enjoyable wineries. The first was Antinori Nel Chianti Classico. This winery feels like you’re on a movie set and is architecturally impressive. We had lunch outside, tried two different flights of wine, and I ordered the one and only salad of the trip that was more than lettuce and olive oil. Then we made our way to Viticcio winery, a family-owned winery that sits in the hills of Chianti. The wine was so good that I ordered six bottles and had them shipped to SF.

Trying wine flights at Antinori Nel Chianti Classico

Finally, we set out for Florence and got some late night pizza at Gusta Pizza. You can get an entire pizza for $5 euro and wine for $2 euro. (Admittedly, it was hard to go the $2 route after having such fine wine the past few days.)

Wines of the region: Chianti, Montepulciano, Vermentino

Hiking up to Forte di Belvedere in Florence. Wearing the Dottie Mini Dress from Free People.

FLORENCE

Day 6: Full day in Firenze

Florence was all about food, wine, and gelato. During our stay, we referred to the 36 hours guide from the NY Times pretty extensively.

First, we had lunch at a famous sandwich spot All'Antico Vinaio. While this spot is a tourist destination, it was also delicious, cheap, and worth the wait. Then we walked to Forte di Belvedere – mainly for the views. It’s a trek though so bring lots of water and wear comfortable shoes. We ended up walking almost twenty thousand steps that day — which is why we deserved our multiple gelato stops. First up was Gelatareia dei Neri, a recommendation from a friend who studied abroad in Florence. Really good and worth the walk outside the main city square.

For an apertivo, we made our way to Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina, an elegant little wine bar with a handful of marble-topped tables and tall bookshelves lined with bottles of the high-end, small-production variety. The staff were so knowledgeable and the gazpacho was light and refreshing.

Our last stop was dinner at Il Santo Bevitore. This place reminds me of a restaurant you might find in SF – a little more modern than your typical trattoria and didn’t feel touristy at all. Pro tip: Make a reservation ahead of time and get a drink at their bar right next door. Charming hole-in-the-wall spot with an excellent wine selection.

After dinner, we got our sweet fix at Gelatareia La Carrai, another recommendation from my friend who studied abroad here. When you go, get the Biscottino “cookies” flavor. Best gelato I had all trip.

AMALFI

Day 7: Naples to Amalfi

If you want to experience the best pizza of your life, make sure you make your way to Naples. We didn’t have too much time so just passed through on our way to Amalfi. We split a Margarita pizza at Pizzeria da Michele — the perfectly cooked dough was super light and almost elastic so you didn’t feel overly full afterwards.

Hands down best pizza all trip

Then we drove to Amalfi and landed at our cute AirBnb in Minori. We chose Minori out of all the towns in Amalfi because it's a) less touristy b) cheaper. While Positano and Amalfi are gorgeous, there’s more hype so everything is more expensive and overcrowded.

Ferry ride to Positano. Wearing a crop top from Topshop.

Day 8: Paradise in Positano

No trip to Amalfi is complete without a day trip to Positano. We took a ferry from Minori to the beautiful beach town. We decided to splurge on lounge chairs ($30 euros) but totally worth it. We spent our day swimming, drinking, reading, and napping — it was perfect. After we had enough sun, we walked up to Le Sirenuse, an insanely beautiful hotel my friend recommended. Since they were overbooked, we ended up getting a bite at Bruno instead. You can sit outside overlooking the gorgeous cliffs and colors of Positano. Plus, the mussels were incredible.

30 euro lounge chairs but very worth the splurge.

Fresh mussels at Brunos

Day 9: Roaming romantic Ravello

We heard amazing things about the small town of Ravello which is up on a hillside. The only drawback is that it’s a trek to get there. You can take the bus up but we decided to hike the one thousand plus steps instead.

Hike up to Ravello. Hudson shorts from Outdoor Voices.

Post-hike at Hotel Cimbrone

Once we made it up there (sweaty and calves burning), we explored the beautiful grounds of Hotel Cimbrone. We enjoyed a post-hike glass of wine and gelato overlooking all of the Amalfi coast. We had dinner in town which was just okay, but mainly went to catch the final semi-final game of Croatia vs. England.

View from our hotel in Maori

Day 10: Last day in Amalfi

Because we loved our time in Amalfi so much, we ended up staying an extra night to check out Maori, Minori’s neighboring town. We splurged on our hotel at Club Due Torri (which we booked on Hotel Tonight). We basically spent all day there enjoying drinks by the pool. We got dinner in Maori at Pineta 1903. A great spot with an expansive patio shaded by hundreds of lemon trees.

Poolside on our last day in Amalfi

Wine drunk underneath the lemon trees.

Day 11: Rome

Since we extended our stay in Amalfi, we only had one day in Rome. We were both going for more of a relaxing vacation vs. the city feel. However, once we made it to Rome, we both wished we had had more time there. It’s the one place during the trip I could have seen myself living abroad.

Some highlights for us were walking around the neighborhood of Trastevere and getting a drink at Bar Del Fico in the City Center. It was super lively and filled with locals drinking Negroni cocktails and smoking cigarettes. We ended our night at the Trevi Fountain which is very touristy, but for good reason.

Roma

Day 12: Heading home

We left early for San Francisco for the long day of travel. Overall, the trip was better than I could have even imagined. We found the perfect balance of relaxation and exploration. If I had to choose a favorite place, it would have to be Tuscany. Lucky for me, Napa is just an hour away from San Francisco so I don’t have to travel too far to get my fix of rolling hills and local wine.

Packing List

Pantone announced the Color of the Year as Greenery to instill hope for what’s ahead. Pantone’s Executive Director, Leslie Eismen, put it, “This is the color of hopefulness, and of our connection to nature. It speaks to what we call the ‘re’ words: regenerate, refresh, revitalize, renew. Every Spring we enter a new cycle and new shoots come from the ground. It is something life affirming to look forward to.” This sense of hope couldn’t have come at a better time as the world gladly says goodbye to 2016 (ahem: Trump and the end of the world as we know it).

This year has been trying personally as well. I moved apartments (twice), I left POPSUGAR after three years to start a very different role at a startup, and I also ended a long-term relationship — all within a few months. At the risk of sounding cliché, I truly believe this change has helped me grow and feel more connected to who I am and where I want to go. So as 2017 approaches, I am looking forward to a new cycle of change, to refresh, revitalize, and renew. And couldn’t be more ready to start again with a blank slate of hopefulness for what’s to come.

As I wrap up a very lovely weekend in San Francisco, I wanted to reflect on what made it so great so I can recreate similar experiences in the new year. I think what it boils down to is being surrounded by supportive, interesting people, feeling a sense of community, giving back to my community, and allowing time for self-care. I started the weekend at a holiday cocktail and floral arrangement event at the Archery, an events, production, and coworking space in the Mission. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Every corner of the space was stunning. There were bouquets of peonies, ranunculus, and other wintery florals for guests to arrange. There was an open bar with Campari cocktails and spiked eggnog - both festive for the holidays. My favorite part was being surrounded by so many talented, creative, and smart women all coming together for a day of fun.

That night, I went over to a friend’s house in Oakland for an intimate dinner party. If I were to dream up a home, it would resemble my friend, Jae's house in many ways. Every room is artfully organized and minimally designed. The table was set beautifully and she even made special menus for the evening. We laughed, ate a delicious vegetarian meal (well, vegetarian minus the bacon bits), and sipped on festive libations. I had a flashback of when I was younger and couldn’t understand why my parents considered dinner parties enjoyable. I thought they were so boring - adults just sitting around the dinner table talking. Although to be fair, at that point, I didn’t understand how wine makes everything more fun. Still, now as a mid-twenty year-old, I can honestly say, my idea of a fun night would involve sitting around the dinner table with loved ones, listening to good music and drinking good wine.

To close out my weekend, I volunteered at 18 Reasons for their gingerbread house making event. It was such a kick seeing all these kids beaming with delight as they decorated their gingerbread houses. They were all so well behaved and polite, despite the insane amount of sugar consumed. Most of the kids lived in San Francisco and it was interesting to think about what raising kids in a city might look like. If this sampling of kids were any inclination, I’m confident raising children here would be really rewarding.

After the event, I popped over to Bi-Rite, picked up some goodies for soup plus other temptations I couldn’t pass up. I made a delicious carrot, ginger, beet soup which is going to be a winter staple from here on out. It’s so comforting in the rain, and does the soul wonders, especially, as I get over this week-long cold.

I always love New Year’s Resolutions, especially ones that seem attainable. And after such a lovely weekend, a resolution of mine is to do more of what makes me happy. Organize more dinner parties, network with smart and supportive women, try new recipes at home, and also, give back to my community in San Francisco.

Even though it seems simple enough, we often get caught up with our daily routines and lose track of what brings us joy in life. With that in mind, I'm introducing a new series to this bright collection to showcase people in my life and community and what makes them happy. This series will incorporate short interviews discussing what makes their soul shine bright. My hope is that these interviews will serve as a good reminder to pause and refocus our energy on the things that bring us happiness.

Recently, I've been more mindful of my actions taking note on which ones make me happy and which ones leave me feeling unsatisfied. This exercise has helped reshape the activities I pursue, the friendships I develop, and the way I spend my time. Scrolling through my Instagram feed when I'm bored doesn't improve my mood but yoga and cooking do. I hope to inspire others to forget the rules, live authentically, and above all, do more of what makes you happy.

The first addition to the happiness collection is of one of the most important people in my life, my dad. Read on for what makes my dad happy!

Describe your own definition of happy:Being content in not needing materialistic things

What daily ritual makes you happy? Waking up the dogs in the morning because they are so happy to see me

If you only had one day left, how would you spend it? Play golf, lunch with friends, spend afternoon with Cecilia, Mel and you then dinner at a nice restaurant, with a nice bottle of wine, of course

What are you most grateful for? My health, physical and mental

Has someone ever done a random act of kindness for you or have you done a random act of kindness recently? Kindness is one of my top priorities in life and I find "what goes around, comes around"

I am happiest when I am volunteering because giving your time is precious and those that receive truly appreciate that

With the New Year in motion, I’ve used this time as an opportunity to reflect on all the incredible experiences I've had in 2015. The memory that stands out the most is the Amazing Yogateacher training I attended with my mom and sister last November. While I deepened my practice and learned tools to teach yoga, I gained so much more during that week. I connected with an inspiring group of people from all over the country, bonded on a new level with my mom and sister, and learned more about myself along the way.

Going into the training, I had no idea what to expect but knew I wanted to take a break from my busy life in San Francisco. By busy, I mean my life consisted of rushing to work, running to an exercise class or social event, then tiredly plopping in bed, and then doing it all over again. And in between my activities, I was either on social media, listening to music or a podcast, or connected to some device. It took a week away from my normal routine, to realize I wasn't as "healthy" as I thought. Sure, I eat well and exercise regularly, but I wasn't making the time to appreciate my life — instead I was just going through the motions.

During the training, each morning our group would set out for a meditation walk along the beach. This morning ritual acted as such a stark contrast to my daily routine in SF. Without a schedule or to-do list, I was able to slow down and set an intention for my day. Each morning my intention varied slightly, but the common themes revolved around being mindful and grateful. Through yoga, meditation, journaling, and meals with the group, I practiced mindfulness, which in turn, made me more grateful for such an amazing opportunity.

After my training, I felt refreshed and energized to take my learnings and apply them into my daily life. It's been almost a month and a half since my week in Tulum and I still journal and meditate most days, practice yoga regularly, and have slowed down my life in SF. I'm excited for what the future will bring and all the bright moments I'll collect in 2016. Bring it on!

xo

Steph

Between our morning yoga practice and afternoon teaching sessions, we were given two hour breaks for lunch, beach time, massages, or whatever we wanted. Lazing in the hammocks and reading, had to be one of my favorite ways to relax.

If you couldn't tell from this picture above, my sister and I make a great team. Whether we're brainstorming business ventures or practicing yoga, we always encourage each other to be our best selves.

We had one free morning during the training to leave the resort and explore Tulum. A big group of us went to the Mayan Ruins. My mom studied the Mayan ruins in college, so she was particulary excited to explore the ruins. Although they were an incredible sight, it was definitely a tourist destination and I was eager to get back to our peaceful resort after our excursion.

I love this picture! I like to think that the three pineapples represent my mom, sister, and I during our amazing week in Tulum.

Coconuts are known to have all kinds of healing powers — like repairing damaged hair, moisturizing dry skin, and even curing a bad hangover. However, not all coconuts are created equal and the ones sold at Trouble Coffee in the Outer Sunset are the best I've ever had. Along with fresh coconuts, you have to try their cinnamon toast and espresso drinks. It's a one stop shop for your caffeine fix and deliciousness.

I took these two stylish ladies to Trouble Coffee where we sipped on coconuts, people watched on the parklet outside Outerlands, and checked out the General Store, one of my favorite boutiques in SF. See our fun below!

In San Francisco, the transition between spring and summer is pretty much non-existent. It's always a crapshoot between fog, sunshine, wind, or usually, a combination of all three. However, on those cloudy days, the city feels more dream-like and romantic, especially in Golden Gate Park. I took my gorgeous friends to the park for some photo shoot fun — which is the first location of many from the day. These two were beyond photogenic and so fun to shoot. Take a look below!

Japan has been on my bucket list for years now and I finally felt like I visited for the day at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Joined by some POPSUGAR ladies, we enjoyed tea in the garden, admired the koi fish, and cured our wanderlust (at least for the time being). I hope enjoy the pictures from the day!

One of my favorite spots in San Francisco is the Heath Ceramics and Blue Bottle Cafe in the Mission. It combines two of my passions: coffee and good design. Instead of walking into a shop, you feel as if you walked into an artist's artfully curated home. But then if you look farther, you'll see their factory, where they produce their tile daily. Although most locals know of this spot, it feels like a hidden gem tucked away from commotion and chaos.

I'm always impressed by people who have such well-maintained gardens. But with the California drought, I'm even more impressed by creative gardens filled with drought-friendly, low-maintenance plants. Here are some succulents and other plants that show just how beautiful a garden can be without needing much water for upkeep.

I wrapped up my weekend at Dolores park for some rosé, sunshine, and an impromptu photo shoot with one of the cutest couples I know. My cousin Jess and her boyfriend Jason both sported cool t-shirts from Mishka, a Brooklyn-based lifestyle brand with a store located in the Mission. These two are effortlessly adorable with each other, with made it easy to capture candid shots and their special moments together.